Nephilim (Space!AU)
Nephilim, avian beings from the world Oadriax. On Terra, Nephilim were once thought to be the children of angels. The species got their name because of their resemblance to the angels of Terran stories; but were from another galaxy entirely, and their true name is something no race but Nephilim themselves can pronounce. Appearance Nephilim appear as a humanoid with wings, they are considered very beautiful and angelic by races over the galaxy but are nothing compared to Syrins. Nephilim also have sharp teeth, being carnivorous they have powerful jaws strong enough to crush bones, and talon-like claws. Wings The appearance of the wings of a Nephilim varies greatly and the size of their wings is gigantic, the wingspan of an average adult Nephilim are around twenty foot long, and they are known for sometimes decorating their wings with small ribbons and beads. Their bones are hollow to help them in their flight, but are enhanced by naturally occurring carbon fiber. The wings are sensitive, but still strong. The base of the wing, where the joint of the wing meets the Nephilim's back are the most sensitive part of their wings, consisting of bundles of nerves and are highly sensitive and directly linked to the pleasure center of their brain, giving them a feeling of euphoria, almost like an aphrodisiac. It gives the quote "Never turn your back to your enemy" a whole new meaning as that part of their wings are considered the most precious and something for only the most trusted; family, friends, mates are comforted in showing one another. Social structure Like many bird species, the males are the most beautiful, and some are constantly obsessed with preening and appearance, especially if there are love interests present to boast to. Nephilim although easily pleased by pretty, shiny trinkets, have a very fiery temper and are not one to be fooled by their vanity and angel-like appearance; they are warriors, trained of the art of war since their first flight, male and female the like. Despite their warrior status in many galaxies, Nephilim are greatly encouraged from the start of adulthood to seek a lifemate, much due to the low birth number of Nephilim fledglings (only one Seraph is usually born into one household, and very rarely two – twins are pretty much a biological impossibility), and the greatest thing a Nephilim can accomplish, male and female the like, is to create a family of their own. Nephilim don't have gender roles like most races do, and are pretty equal in reproductive roles, so a male can get pregnant if he would choose so and are mated with another male to father the fledgling. In a male-female coupling the pair can decide during the coupling which one who will carry the fledgling, depending on who is the most suitable. Although male can get pregnant, a coupling between two females can never create a fledgling of their own, as it requires a male to impregnate its partner. It is often believed that is way the Nephilim females are often bigger and more aggressive than their male counterparts, in order to be able to fully protect their family. There have been occassions, however, where a female couple have lured a male to impregnate either one of them to then kick him out of the nest as the coupling have taken to instead raise the fledgling themselves. There are many threats for a Nephilim on the low grounds of Oadriax, which is why their civilization are built and structured high into the mountains to stay away from the predators lurking on the ground. The Nephilim's entire society are built on the prospect that every member having the ability to fly. Which is why the highest penalty, usually given for the act of treason, are most often delivered with having the convicted Nephilim's wings cut and banished to the lower grounds of Oadriax, to fend for themselves. Language The lanaguage of the Nephilim resembles somewhat of the bird language, with a lot of cooing, chirps and tweets, due to them having both a syrinx and larynx in their trachea forming their vocal organs. Both syrinx and larynx are bony structures located on their trachea. The syrinx is located at the bottom of the trachea and the larynx at the top of the trachea, like with most mammals, humans for an example. The syrinx and sometimes a surrounding air sac resonate to sound waves that are made by membranes past which the Nephilim forces air. The Nephilim controls the pitch by changing the tension on the membranes and controls both pitch and volume by changing the force of exhalation. It can control the two sides of the trachea independently, which is how Nephilim can produce two notes at once. All this together means Nephilim can produce both avian vocals as well as more pronounced vocal words, making their language highly sophisticated and hard, if not impossible, to learn. References Category:Nephilim Category:Species Category:Alternate Universe